The Call Answered
by StakeTheHeart
Summary: Finding a companion sounds easy enough, but maybe not so easy when you're a witch. Two Shot
1. Part 1

**I typed this out on my new computer and I am so excited. I might actually sit down and work on other One Shots I planned out but never got to just so I have an excuse to use it more often. Anyway, this one is a mix of my own ideas, The Witcher, and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. That show is so good I had to do something for it. As always, I hope it's worth the read. Enjoy!**

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Tonight was the night, the night she half dreaded and half anticipated. By tomorrow she would come into her powers and be a full-fledged witch. She finished her training and completed her home-schooled lessons. They grew harder the further she progressed, but it was all worth it. Trina had gone through the same trial she was about to undertake. After all, a witch wasn't fully protected without a familiar by her side. Which could be any creature or beast, animal or otherwise. She had heard that in rare cases even spirits could be recruited as a familiar. Whatever answered her call was fair game if both parties agreed to the terms. In her opinion, a familiar should be treated as an equal, not as a master and servant dynamic. It would be a living being with feelings and she couldn't bear treating it as anything less.

She checked the time and gasped. She was going to be late. She threw aside the grimoire she was browsing through and launched herself out of bed to get dressed. Her mom and dad had told her that black was traditional, so she found a nice blouse and black jeans, throwing on her sneakers and running her hands through her hair until it sat right. She ran out of her room and down the stairs. She flew out the door and down the front porch steps, only tripping on the last one. She caught herself before falling and continued across the large yard toward the surrounding woods.

Their house was an old Victorian passed down from family to family and came with its own acre of land, separating it from the mortal town nearby. The line of trees up ahead came into view not too long later, and with it, the waiting figures of her parents, sister, and council representative. She skidded to a stop and leaned heavily on her legs, trying to catch her breath while everyone stared at her sternly.

"Miss Vega, I'm glad you could find the time to join us," Lane spoke up in his calm tone. Tori flinched but stood up and met his steady stare.

"I'm sorry," she responded with as much dignity as she could muster.

"I trust you are aware of what you must accomplish during the trial. The results will be evaluated upon your return. We wouldn't want you befriending something that would fail to protect you."

Tori nodded, understanding what needed to be done. Choosing a familiar was just as much her decision as it was whatever she came across. She didn't have to bond with the first thing she met if she didn't want to, but the first was usually the best.

"Yeah, so don't come back with a rabbit or something," Trina added, crossing her arms and giving her little sister a critical raised brow, a small smirk pulling at her lips. Tori scowled at her but didn't rise to the bait. Her father gave his oldest a disapproving shake of his head and a crease of his brows as he steered his youngest to the edge of the woods.

"Don't listen to her, Tor. You've got this. I'll be proud of you no matter what you return with. Between you and me, if it isn't another squawking bird then I'll be more than happy," he began seriously, only for his voice to drop conspiratorially when he spoke of Trina's annoying but fitting familiar. The crow was as crazy and as loud as she was. It wasn't a secret that it drove their dad nuts sometimes when he had to deal with both at the same time. Tori giggled, and he smiled, giving her a hug. He never failed to make her feel better in tough situations. When he released her, she stepped away to face the trees. She took a deep breath, let it out, and then entered.

As she walked, she wondered why she had to be there at such a late hour. The sun was beginning to set and soon the only light source would be from the moon above. She continued forward a few more yards before stopping in a small clearing. She glanced around, noting how silent and still everything was until the light breeze rustled leaves and the branches of the trees. She cleared her throat and began.

"' _Spirits of the forest, I pronounce my intentions to thee. Come forth and seek me, an equal we will be. Not master and servant, but familiar, to share our knowledge, our spirit, and our traits. And now, spirits, we wait.'_ ," she called out, a bit hesitantly. She scanned her surroundings once more and let out her held breath when all that answered was the wind. Minutes passed and still nothing. Tori shrugged.

"Ok, I get it. You aren't looking for a relationship. I won't push," she joked, more to herself than anything out there. It helped her to start moving again. Without an answer she would have to keep searching on her own. It wasn't more than ten minutes later when she heard a sound. She looked up from kicking a rock but there was nothing to see. She was just about to go back to her idle game when a shadow passed her peripheral to her right. She turned quickly, but again, there was nothing. The rustle of the leaves on the ground alerted her to someone behind her but a hand settled on her shoulder before she could turn, causing her to yelp, startled.

"Whoa, relax," the person commented, pulling away. Tori spun around to face a girl that looked to be around her age. She took in the other girl, black muscle shirt emblazoned with a wide, gaping white mouth full of sharp teeth. The leather bands strapped on her left wrist were decorated with spikes on some, studs on others. Her nails were painted black. Her black jeans were form-fitting and torn at the knee, leather belt just as spikey as the arm bands. Her black, steel-toed boots were haphazardly tied and well-worn. She was dressed in black from head to toe, obviously preferring that shade. Unlike Tori, who only wore it for the occasion.

If it was up to her, she would have a splash of color somewhere. It wasn't allowed so she had added some white to break up some of the black. Tori pulled her eyes back to the girl's face. She was so pale, but it looked good on her. Full lips were stretched in a laid back but confident smirk. Her eyes were a vivid sea blue with flecks of green and seemed to pop with the help of the heavily applied eyeliner. Her face was round, but her jaw and nose seemed sculpted. Tori wondered how even her slender eyebrows could be so perfect. Her dark hair fell in thick waves down her shoulders, making Tori's fingers itch to touch it.

"I see you're relaxed now. Maybe too much," the girl observed with a tilt of her head, amusement in her voice. Tori snapped out of her bout of ogling the stranger and tried hard to hold back the inevitable blush.

"I-um, sorry, but I don't think I've seen you around here. Are you new to town? What are you doing out here?" she asked, stammering.

"What are **you** doing out here?"

"Well…I like taking walks in the woods. I do it all the time," Tori responded. The girl gave her a look that clearly meant she didn't believe her.

"You sound like you're trying to convince me rather than tell me," she pointed out. Tori sighed in exasperation.

"Why does it even matter to you?"

The girl seemed to think about it a moment before shrugging with an impish smile.

"I guess it doesn't," she concluded, chuckling.

"Who are you?" Tori questioned, annoyed yet curious.

"Jade West," the former stranger replied easily.

"West? I never heard of that family," Tori said, brows creasing.

"We're small. Not many left," Jade answered, dismissive. Tori nodded, wanting to press further but deciding that it must be a sore subject.

"Ok, well, it was nice talking to you, I guess. I have something I need to do," she said, turning away to continue her search.

"You're looking for a familiar, aren't you?" Jade asked. Tori stopped and looked back at the enigmatic girl who hadn't moved.

"How…?"

"I missed looking for mine. The council was furious. So here I am making up for it. Late is better than never," she explained, tucking her hands in her pockets. She gave Tori such a disarmingly charming smile that Tori couldn't stop the next words from pouring out of her mouth.

"We could stick together. If you want," she suggested, tacking on the decision to turn down her offer. Only then did Jade move forward to stand next to Tori once more.

"Sure. Sounds like a good idea."

Tori smiled, shy from the proximity, but didn't let the newcomer affect her beyond that. She turned away and started walking again. Jade followed along closely, seemingly unaware of personal space. Their shoulders would bump, or their hands would brush. Tori swore she was doing it on purpose. If so, she wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of reacting to it. She successfully kept her attention on the task at hand until Jade decided to strike up another conversation.

"I didn't get your name."

"Tori Vega."

"Tori as in Victoria?"

"Yes."

"Hm, that's a beautiful name. Why shorten it?"

The question seemed innocent, but a glance at Jade showed that she was enjoying the light blush that spread along Tori's cheeks. She watched as captivating eyes swept over her face, smirk growing seconds later. Suddenly, their eyes met and Jade's glinted with mirth. She knew that Tori was aware of what she was doing yet that didn't stop her from continuing.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're adorable when you blush?"

Tori grit her teeth, aware that she was quickly resembling a tomato.

"No."

"They should."

"You just did."

"Yeah, but you should hear it more often," Jade rephrased.

"I'm starting to wonder why I even thought this was a good idea," Tori griped. Jade just laughed.

"Only you have the answer to that. So, I've heard a little bit about your family. They aren't really well-known, but they aren't nobodies either," she mentioned, changing the subject, for which Tori was grateful.

"I mean, we aren't at the level of the Spellmans, that's for sure. I wouldn't want to be known anyway. There's too much expectation and there's enough of that from my family," Tori replied. Jade raised a brow at that, interested.

"Average is acceptable," Jade agreed with a single nod. A comfortable and understanding quiet settled on them for the next twenty minutes until Jade broke it.

"It's getting late," Jade said, looking up at the sky.

"I know. I just didn't want to give up yet," Tori sighed, defeated.

"Your family should be proud you even came out here and stayed so late despite the dangers. At least you tried. Had something wishing you harm showed up you wouldn't stand a chance without protection from a familiar. You're lucky," Jade remarked, eyes on their surroundings. Tori managed to stop her next thought from becoming words. She couldn't possibly tell Jade that she felt safe with her. That would just be weird.

"Yeah, maybe I should head back."

Tori turned in the direction of home and Jade followed suit. Tori stopped and so did Jade.

"You're coming with me?" she asked, surprised.

"I just got done saying it's dangerous. Do you really want to head back alone?"

"No."

"Ok then."

"But won't you get in trouble?" Tori questioned. Jade scoffed.

"I do whatever I want."

"Clearly," Tori mumbled. Jade heard her, and a satisfied smile quirked her lips.

"Your family doesn't sound strict," Tori observed.

"Not at all. In fact, we're quite independent of each other. Even if they were, I wouldn't hesitate to rebel. I choose my own path," Jade responded, certain in her resolve. Tori admired her for being so sure. She wished she could be that confident. With her interest piqued she kept up the conversation.

"Where do you live?"

"We're in the process of moving right now but we used to live far from here," Jade replied.

"Do you have any siblings?" Tori asked next.

"No."

"I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. My older sister, Trina is annoying most days, but she also gets me. She takes the time to make sure I'm ok even if she's a bit self-absorbed. She's still a good sister. My parents can get a little over-bearing sometimes, but I know they mean well," Tori shared. Jade's gaze softened, and she looked lost in thought a moment.

"You're a good person," she mumbled, eyes on the ground now.

"What? You didn't think I was?" Tori questioned, a bit offended.

"It's not that. I just approach every person with caution. It's better to be prepared than assume, you know?" Jade explained.

"I understand," Tori agreed. She had her fair share of fake friends she could have done without. People like that hurt her ability to trust, but she was always an optimistic soul. She had to give someone the benefit of the doubt first before judging them. Tori let out a loud sigh and a grumble, rubbing at her face. Jade raised a questioning brow.

"Time to possibly get in loads of trouble for failing," she stated, falsely confident. Jade didn't comment so Tori pushed forward, exiting the woods ahead of her. When she saw her family and Lane waiting she got ready to be reprimanded for returning empty handed. But the looks on everyone's faces said otherwise. All of them were staring at her in slack jawed awe, eyes wide.

"Um, hi? I know I'm not supposed to be accompanied by anyone, but we kinda met up and I swear she didn't help me. As you can see, I couldn't find a familiar," Tori quickly babbled, puzzled when all she got in response was silence. Her dad parted from the others to approach her, eyeing warily resting behind her.

"Tori, who's this?" he asked, voice wavering just a touch. Tori was surprised to hear it.

"This is Jade West. She was looking for a familiar too," she introduced, still confused.

"There's no one by that name. I keep documents on every family and coven. Besides, she doesn't have a shadow and yours is clearly not your own," Lane disagreed. A chill ran down Tori's spine when she twisted around to see what he meant. He was right. Jade lacked a shadow and her own looked like a tall thin figure with horns and long claws. She spun around to face Jade.

"You lied? Who are you!" she demanded. Her mother and sister shifted uncomfortably, and her dad set a calming hand on her shoulder. Jade smirked and crossed her arms.

"I'm your familiar," she responded simply.

"But…you can't be," Tori stammered, shocked.

"She's a specter called a Hym. No one has seen one in a very long time. They're highly elusive and secretive, rarely taking corporeal form. They don't normally wander around out in the open either. In fact, because they are so difficult to track down they were once messengers for Satan, but they were dismissed when they selectively chose to listen to commands," Tori's mom mentioned.

"' _It's particularly formidable in that it doesn't outright attack its target but instead feeds on the target's guilt, tormenting them to the point the person goes completely mad or they commit suicide._ _These wraiths only latch onto particularly despicable individuals who have committed some unspeakable crime. To all others, they remain completely invisible. When they do show themselves to the one they torment, they appear as a tall, shadow-clad, humanoid silhouette with long, sharp claws. Yet Hyms do not sink these claws into their victims. Instead, they sap their strength directly, through inflicted suffering. Speaking in a voice only the victim hears, they drive them to commit acts of violence, aggression and self-harm. A hym will seize on a guilty person's worst fears and weave out of them hideous visions, slowly_ _driving the poor soul into madness. Those possessed by a Hym are incapable of restful sleep, for they are tormented by ever-more-frequent, incredibly-realistic nightmares. At times the victim will become extremely on edge, yelling pleas or threats at invisible phantoms, or confessing their guilt out loud in the hope that it will end their torment. This act does not, however, bring any relief, for the Hym will not leave until it has addled its victim's wits completely or driven them to death.'_ ," her dad recited, recalling the passage.

Tori looked dazed, slightly pale and stunned.

"Reveal yourself," Lane ordered Jade, stepping forward.

"That isn't up to you," Jade sneered, a threat laced within her words for the first time. It took Tori by surprise, having only heard soft tones so far. Lane looked to Tori who belatedly realized that she had to be the one to give the order.

"Jade, please," Tori requested. The disguised Hym softened at her behest for only a second before her expression hardened. She nodded and stepped back. They watched as long pitch-black horns curved from her head. Her black nails grew to sharp points. Her irises took on a glowing hue and her smirk revealed fangs.

"This is all I'm willing to show," she told them. Tori stared, having a hard time forming words. Jade turned to face her.

"I'm not sorry that I lied. It's kind of in my nature to mess with people," she said with a shrug. Tori pulled away from her dad, face red with anger. Her family could see an angry rant coming on and were right when Spanish words flew from her mouth. Each word was rough and sharp, amusing and entertaining Jade. She chuckled at the cute display and moved to encase her shoulders in a cold grip. Tori stopped mid-sentence, gasping at the contact as well as the drastic temperature change.

"Look, even if I lied, I didn't follow you around for nothing. I was evaluating and testing you, trying to decide if I wanted to accept your offer or not. Obviously, if I'm still here, I accepted. I'm your familiar. If you want me," Jade told her, voice oddly soothing. Tori relaxed under her hands, strangely touched.

"Yeah. I'd like you to be my familiar," Tori confirmed. Jade nodded and dropped her hands.

"Then it's settled."

"I have to say, I'm impressed Miss Vega. You'll be an exemplary witch with a Hym by your side. Good luck to you. I'll return to the council with my report and update your file. Until another time," Lane said in farewell, bowing before disappearing.

"You guys go ahead. I need a moment," Tori told her family, gesturing to the house.

"Are you sure?" her mom asked, nervously eyeing Jade.

"I'll be ok," Tori assured her. Her dad draped a comforting arm across his wife's shoulders and directed her toward the house, whispering reassurances. Trina stayed, arms crossed. She glared at Jade and the Hym returned it.

"Just how ugly are you?" Trina sniped.

"Trina!" Tori exclaimed, smacking her sister's arm.

"Maybe one day you'll find out in your worst dreams. Don't hold your breath, though. I reserve my true form for the most depraved, and I doubt you're that bad," Jade retorted, voice lazy and unaffected like she was merely swatting a fly. Trina scowled at her disaffected response and turned on her heel to stride away, muttering under her breath.

"Leave it to Trina to try and challenge you," Tori grumbled, embarrassed and upset by her sister's behavior.

"She's a nuisance, but also an interesting form of amusement," Jade reflected.

"Hey, no tricks on my sister. Unless I say so," Tori began, adding the rest as an afterthought. Jade laughed.

"I like the way you think," she remarked. They began walking home, silently following the dirt road side by side.

"But really, what do you really look like?" Tori inquired.

"Hideous. An insult to the eyes," Jade answered.

"An insult in terms of what people think or what you think?" Tori wondered. Jade glanced at her.

"What?"

"Do we have the same opinions about what's pretty and what 's ugly? For all I know you could think what we call pretty is ugly to you or what we call ugly is pretty to you. Which is it?" Tori clarified.

"Humans are our usual prey, so we base our appearance off what you wouldn't want to see," Jade explained.

"So you really would be an insult to the eyes," Tori concluded. Jade nodded once.

"But then, does that mean you don't have a 'true' appearance if you can change it? Like, what if you just relaxed and let yourself be whatever you are-" Tori rambled on, to Jade's growing irritation. She snarled and grabbed Tori by the front of her shirt, hauling her in close.

"Vega, shut up. I'd hate to regret my choice and make a meal of you so soon," she warned, smooth voice prickling with tension. Tori temporarily forgot how to breathe, and her heart skipped a beat. Jade quickly shoved her away when the tension between them only increased with Tori's staring. She sighed and averted her luminescent gaze.

"My true form was never meant to scare, but to entrance, to lull prey into a false sense of security. I make it hideous because scaring is preferable to me. We all have our own means of hunting," Jade calmly explained. Tori stood there unfazed, only happy that they were making progress.

"Get that idiotic grin off your face before I remove it," she hissed, but Tori only laughed. The Hym was shocked to receive a hug from the witch instead of recoiling in fear.

"Now I really regret this partnership," she growled under her breath.

"Get used to it. There's more where that came from," Tori replied, pulling away. It was strange to hug Jade, her body hard and cold, but also gratifying.

"You're lucky you're a good person or I would be making your life hell right now."

"Aww, thank you," Tori brightly replied, laying it on thick and knowing she was frustrating the moody specter. Jade only sighed heavily and stopped at the steps leading up to the porch of Tori's house.

"As annoying as you are, I know I've made a choice that will benefit us both. I sense something in you I haven't felt in anyone else. You'll do great things and I'll be there to protect you along the way," Jade vowed. Tori smiled and took Jade's hand in her own, giving it a squeeze.

"And I promise to always treat you as an equal in return. I really hope we can learn from each other, to have a beneficial companionship," Tori responded. Jade nodded then shook off Tori's warm hand. Tori let her, smiling at Jade's stoic expression, and led the way up the stairs. To Tori it was a successful start to an interesting meeting between two very different souls. To Jade, she would be content to follow Tori to the ends of the Earth and keep her safe, as long as she didn't have to suffer through too many hugs.


	2. Part 2

**Just saw a fantasy horror movie that somehow made me want to add to this. I don't know if I'll do more for it.**

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Despite living removed from town, Tori seemed to always find herself there. She enjoyed walking among the mortals, observing and learning from them. She knew more about them and their way of life than the rest of her family who preferred to keep to themselves whenever they could. Even Trina wouldn't risk talking to a cute one, no matter how much she wanted to. That was for the best anyway. She had a big mouth and a bad habit of spilling secrets. She kept to the Academy warlocks instead. Tori found mortals to be entertaining and going day to day without the aid of magic was fascinating to her. Her constant adventures in the little town earned her some friends. They were fun and easy to get along with. They didn't ask too many questions and accepted any lie she had to tell without suspicion. Like, _When did you move here?_ and _What school do you go to?_ Tori easily replied that she had lived there her whole life and had been homeschooled. She explained that her parents were very protective and didn't like her wandering far from home. It was practically the truth.

Now that she was older and made decisions for herself, she chose to explore a world she had been kept away from. Besides, the friends she made were harmless. Andre was friendly and sincere, Robbie was a bumbling boy who became shy at the drop of a hat, and Cat was, well, Cat. There was no one like her. Tori was sure she was weirder than her Aunt Sonya. And she gave Trina a run for her money. Tori came out of her musings when she reached the little café she often met up with her friends at. They set aside a day every week to hang out, seeing as they couldn't meet up randomly. Tori lacked all forms of technological communication. A reason she blamed on her parents' overprotectiveness. She had just reached the café and was about to push open the door when a cool hand gripped her shoulder. She didn't react besides rolling her eyes.

"Jade, you need to stop appearing out of nowhere. Someone is going to see you," she scolded, looking back to see the person in question. Well, person being loosely used. Jade was a hym, a rare specter capable of causing human suffering, and also her familiar. When she wasn't off playing pranks on people, she was following Tori around. Sometimes she was a bother and sometimes they had a nice conversation. Then there were those times when their companionship leaned into a gray area Tori was too afraid to talk about to anyone. Especially Jade.

"I doubt it. Humans are blind to anything strange. They would rather ignore it then face the truth. Fear has a nice way of controlling people like that," Jade responded casually, reaching past the young witch to push the door open and hold it for her. Tori nodded her thanks and stepped into the café. She took a look around to see that her friends weren't there yet.

"I'm surprised you even showed up now. Did you want to meet them?"

Jade scoffed, following close behind Tori.

"Then why are you here?" Tori asked next, taking a seat at the usual table toward the back by the window.

"Can't I just spend time with my favorite witch?" Jade answered, a small smile in place. Tori would have been touched, except she could see the playful look in the Hym's eyes and knew she was only jesting.

"Whatever. You have a reason and you aren't telling me," Tori said, picking up a menu. Jade made an exasperated sound and glanced out the window before looking back to Tori. They had taken seats across from each other so that when Tori glanced up from the menu their eyes met head on. The intense stare caused her eyes to drop back to the menu. As beautiful as Jade was, she was also very intimidating. Tori supposed most of that had to do with what she was.

"Fine. I was out hunting when I happened upon a bit of information that put me on edge," Jade confessed quietly, a clawed finger tracing the swirls of the wooden table between them. Tori shot her a glare and Jade met it with a smirk, her hands returning to a normal appearance. Of course she couldn't be honest without a little fun.

"What kind of information?"

"I heard a human talking to himself. He said-"

Jade tensed suddenly, eyes flashing once, before her form seemed to dissolve into shadows which then disappeared into thin air. Tori sighed and propped her chin in her hand. She looked to the door and saw her friends walk in, knowing that was the reason for Jade's hasty exit. She greeted them as they sat down, a smile in place. It was only half genuine. The whole time she hung out with them the information Jade spoke of sat heavily in the back of her mind. It was a small distraction no one but Andre seemed to notice. He was perceptive when it came to how she was feeling. She reassured him and he let it go, but reminded her that if anything was bothering her she could talk to him about it. She thanked him and the conversation moved to how things were going in school. They had so many things to share with her and her interest was genuine, even in the most mundane anecdotes.

It began getting late and they parted ways, Tori heading home with the sun setting behind her. She took her usual route home, one that lead straight out of town. The sidewalk ended and the dirt road began. She wondered when Jade would show up when she sensed someone following her. She spun around, her eyes searching the quickly darkening surroundings. No one was there. She continued on, walking at a brisk pace. It didn't take long for the feeling to return, warning her of a presence. She refused to look back, only briefly wondering if Jade was messing with her again. But this felt different. It not only felt strange, but ominous too. Jade's presence never made her feel bad. Even on the days she was in a particularly foul mood. Despite that she cleared her throat.

"Jade?" she called out, voice wavering. There was no reply but the breeze through the trees. Tori began muttering a teleportation spell, but it was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. She spun around and saw a tall, broad figure striding toward her. She called for Jade instead, whispering the summoning spell that would return her to her side from wherever she was. She was most likely lounging at home. A minute passed with Tori speeding into a run and the figure starting to catch up.

"Where the hell are you, Jade?" she gasped out through a pant, pushing herself. She wished she could concentrate enough to finish the teleportation spell. The heavy footfalls became louder, so she veered off the path and into the woods in a last ditch attempt to lose her pursuer. She wound through trees in the general direction of home. She listened for the footsteps and heard none. She risked a glance back to see that she was alone. She let out a sigh and slowed down. She turned back around only to slam into someone. She fell on her back from the force, winded. She frowned at the sharp pain of a rock digging into her lower back and looked up to see the figure from before. Now that she got a better look, she could see that it was a familiar young mortal she had seen before. The few times she visited the high school she saw him practicing out on the field or flirting with various girls from his car. She didn't know his name, and she was sure he didn't know her. But there he was.

"I'm sorry. I didn't see you there," she said, getting to her feet. Maybe if she played it off like an accident he wouldn't pick up on the fact that she was getting awful vibes from him. In the light of the dying sun she noticed something off, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"You're a witch," he stated. Tori fought not to react.

"Excuse me?" she responded, acting insulted.

"Don't play stupid. I saw you that day. You helped that bird," he mentioned, taking a step closer. Tori maintained the space between them.

"What bird?"

"I said, don't play stupid with me!" he shouted, posture rigid and muscles flexing. He looked livid, his mood changing like a switch flipped. Tori met his furious gaze, taking in his pale skin and the circles around his eyes. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"Look, I don't even know you. What do you want?" Tori asked him, ready to run at the slightest provocation.

"I saw you heal that bird's wing. I followed you, just like he told me, and saw that weird chick appear out of nowhere," he accused, eyes wild and finger pointing. Tori felt cornered despite the open space around them.

"I don't know what you're talking about. You need help," she denied, starting to back away. He stalked forward, snickering as if she said something funny.

"You aren't there, okay? I'm making you up. She can help me," he muttered, head canted as if he was listening to someone speaking to him over his shoulder. It caused an unpleasant shiver to race down Tori's spine. She could feel the presence again, but stronger.

"Y-yeah, I can help you. Something is hurting you, right?" she stammered, clinging to a chance at escape. He paused, looking back at her. He subconsciously tugged down on the sleeve of his letterman jacket, but Tori's eyes already dropped to his arm. A long gash carved down his forearm to his palm.

"If you can heal that bird then you can help me," he said, agitation finally clearing away to be replaced with a broken plea. Tori tried not to let it endanger her defenses. It could be a trick. Something was clearly wrong with him, but she wasn't entirely sure it was something from her world or his affecting him. Therefore, she didn't want to resort to magic too soon.

"How?" she questioned, cautious. He wiped at his sweaty face and gripped at his hair a moment, shaking his head.

"I can hear a voice. It taunts me. It shows me things I don't want to see. It encourages me to be angry. I hurt people. I hurt myself. I don't know what to do. I know it isn't me! I swear!" he rushed to explain, voice rising in volume with every admittance. There was a waver of something behind him, Tori's eyes flicking to it, but it disappeared. Her gaze hardened, eyebrows coming down over her nose. He was right. Something was going on here, and it wasn't anything mental.

"If you let me, I can find out," she offered. He stared at her, completely lost, and nodded tiredly. She slowly advanced, hands up. He remained in place. She got close enough to reach out and rest her palms on either side of his head. As soon as she made contact, she was blinded-sided by a sharp pain in her own head. A tall, thin, horned figure reached out toward her with shadowy claws and she tore away from the mortal in a desperate attempt to get away. The connection broke and she stumbled back, shaking the dizziness away. When she felt grounded, she opened her eyes to check on the poor guy. He groaned and bent over, arms wrapped around himself.

"No! Please! I wasn't trying to get rid of you!" he panicked, grabbing at his head and falling to his knees. Tori stepped forward.

"What is it? What do you see?"

"He's here! He's mad," the guy whimpered. Tori took another step, the horrible feeling in her gut intensifying, and then suddenly, he was up and on her. His big hands gripped at her neck, squeezing and lifting her off her feet. She choked and scratched at his hands, but he held on.

"I don't want to do this, but he said he would leave me alone if I got rid of you," he said, voice eerily even now. Tori kicked out at his stomach and he faltered, dropping her. She quickly got to her feet, almost falling twice, but successfully breaking into a run. She called for Jade again, over and over. A heavy body slammed into her, sending her into the ground hard enough to temporarily knock her out. She rolled over on her back only to be met with a blank gaze. The mortal was standing over her, and in the dim light, a dark figure stood behind him. It brought shadowy claws down to rest on his shoulders.

" _I underestimated this pathetic human. I didn't think he was perceptive enough to actually find someone who could help him. But I shouldn't have to tell you how stupid you would be to interfere,"_ he told her, lips moving and words coming out, but it wasn't him. Tori shuddered at the cold, lifeless, tone. The being leaned forward, claws digging into the mortal's shoulder. Another hym. It had to be. Tori never thought she would ever cross another after Jade. Meeting one was rare enough. Tori pushed herself to her feet.

"I know what you are. That doesn't mean I'll just walk away," she stated boldly. A mocking laugh filtered through the mortal host, coming out less than human.

" _Foolish little witch. You know my kind. You know how dangerous we are to mortals and witches alike. Tell me, what can you possibly do without your familiar?"_ it taunted through the borrowed mouth. Tori backed away, uncertain. It was right. Where was Jade? Had she abandoned her? Did she know this would happen and refused to fight her own kind? How did he even know she had a hym for a familiar? Seeing Tori's hesitation, the specter pressed on.

" _I'll let the human go, if you offer me something better,"_ he wagered.

"I'm not helping you," Tori retorted, standing her ground. The figure almost seemed to grow bigger, far more threatening than it already was.

" _Then I'll take what I want by force!"_

The shadow crawled over its mortal host's shoulder and launched at her, claws ready to tear, but it was tossed aside. With a screech it hit the ground, twisted around back on its feet, and shrieked in fury.

"Jade!" Tori exclaimed, reaching out to touch her familiar's back. Jade flinched away from her touch, staggering. Instantly, Tori was concerned. Her searching eyes scanned over Jade. Her shirt was slashed through, red staining pale skin. A bruise colored her strong jaw, and when she looked back at Tori, she sported a black eye. A few bruises and cuts decorated her arms, but didn't hold a candle to the cuts Tori had seen through her shirt. Some were still bleeding. She must have been in a poor condition for her human form to show such damage. How that even happened in the first place bothered her more. Jade was a very powerful being. Only her own kind could hurt her so badly. And then it clicked.

"He attacked you. He attacked you before looking for me. So that you couldn't help."

Jade only nodded, body tense with pain yet still adamant in blocking hers from danger.

" _You're a strong witch. I can sense it. Even before you gained a familiar from our ranks. Feeding from you would keep me from hunger for years on end,"_ the chilling voice hissed from the mortal. Jade remained facing the shadow as it loped back to its host.

"Over my dead body," she growled, nails turning into claws and eyes glowing. Her lips lifted in a snarl that showed off sharp fangs. Her horns shaped from shadows to solidify in seconds.

" _That was the plan,"_ he replied, claws sinking into his human host. As if electricity shot through the body, he jumped. His blank stare filled with blind fury and he let out a scream. He pulled out a switchblade and ran straight for Jade. She deftly sidestepped every swing then caught him by the wrist and yanked at an angle. He howled in pain, dropping the weapon. With her attention on him, the attacking hym struck. Jade cried out at the new slash to her side, matching the others. She shoved the mortal away and stumbled back, gripping the injury.

"Jade, leave that form!" Tori shouted at her, worried. Jade shook her head.

"I might not find my way back to you. I need this form. I can't go back to that," she responded through clenched teeth. Jade had always said that maintaining her human guise kept her from regressing. It kept her present and stopped her from listening to instinct. She liked being able to walk among mortals without wanting to torture them to death. She liked holding conversations with Tori and feeling things that made her content in a way she never had before. It was the reason she made the choice to tie herself down, to become a familiar. She couldn't go back now. Jade dodged swinging fists and twisted out of the way of the following claws. Tori stayed back, preparing a spell that could help Jade. The hym took notice and shrieked, darting at her. Its claw was barely blocked in time. Jade took the hit to her forearm, using it as a shield.

"Leave her alone!"

" _Then how about a trade? Kill the human, or I kill your precious witch!"_ he yelled. Jade let out a sharp snarl, diving through the shadowy figure to tackle the human. She threw him to the ground, teeth bared.

"No, Jade, stop!" Tori shouted, throwing a hand out. A force threw Jade off. She tumbled but regained control and shakily got to her feet.

"What is the matter with you?! If I don't kill him-"

"You don't have to do that. You can find another way," Tori told her, eyes locked with Jade's glowing ones. They shifted to the mortal host then to the shadowy hym. Her eyes closed and she breathed slowly. When they opened, shadows like ink began to crawl up her arms from her fingers, carving them into giant claws. She grit her teeth, pain wracking her body. She forced herself to hold the shadows halfway, refusing to let it take over completely. That cold laugh was back.

" _You'll kill yourself,"_ he taunted.

"You'll be dead before that happens," Jade promised, running forward. The shadow let out another shriek, retreating behind the mortal host.

"Coward," Jade sneered, shoving the human aside to take a swipe at the hym. Her claws sliced through and it let out a sound of pain. The mortal took in a shuddering breath and fell to the ground. Tori ran over to kneel next to him. He looked dazed and confused but okay otherwise. Tori rested her hands on his arm and whispered a healing spell just in case. Jade darted forward and grabbed the hym by his horns, throwing him down on his knees.

"You should have tried harder to kill me," Jade growled in disdain, swiping at the hym's neck. The head came away from the body which slumped forward. Jade held the head a few seconds more before the body began to dissolve into nothing, taking the head with it. The mortal sucked in a lungful of air and started coughing, as if he had been saved from drowning. In a way, he had. Tori murmured soothing words and pressed a hand to his shoulder to keep him from getting up.

"Where am I? What happened?" he sputtered.

"You're going to be okay. Do you remember me? We helped you. Just like you asked," Tori replied. He turned to look at her, confused at first, but then his eyes widened.

"You. I remember following you, then it went black. Did I pass out? Is he gone?" he questioned. Tori nodded.

"We beat him."

Jade wandered over, tired eyes resting on Tori. Her pale fists clenched, taking in the concerned expression aimed down on the mortal.

"We, being me and Tori. You're welcome," she spoke up, gruff. Tori shot her a disapproving look.

"Wipe his memory so we can go home," Jade urged, arms crossed. She looked so beaten up and worn, yet her voice was just as strong as it always was.

"Okay, okay," Tori muttered, a hand resting on his forehead.

"Wait, hold on-" he protested, but then he froze. Words left him and a puzzled expression fell across his face when Tori began speaking the spell. His eyes fluttered and he fell unconscious. Tori climbed to her feet, Jade helping her up.

"We can't leave him here."

"Yes, we can."

"There're animals out here."

"He'll be fine."

Tori cocked her hip, hands on her waist. She fixed a determined glare on Jade who stared right back.

"Vega," she grumbled, her will weakening.

"Please? We helped him so far. I can just teleport him to the edge of town where someone can find him," Tori insisted.

"Fine. Do whatever you want," she finally acquiesced, turning away. Tori nodded then spoke the incantation needed. He disappeared and she approached the surely familiar. Jade didn't acknowledge her. Timidly, she reached out to rest a hand on Jade's back. Her taut muscles relaxed under her gentle touch.

"Thank you. For everything," she whispered, her hand sliding off. Jade turned around and caught it before it dropped. Her cool hand held her gently, a thumb running over her knuckles.

"As your familiar, it's my job to protect you. Remember?" she teased lightly, succeeding in bringing a smile to Tori's face. She nodded.

"I know. But not just for that. You listen when it matters most," Tori elaborated. Jade shrugged, apathetic.

"Part of the job," she deflected.

"Do you know how often Trina argues with that dumb bird? You can't tell me familiars have no say in the matter. You listen because you want to, and I'm really glad to have a familiar like you," Tori said, voice soft. Jade kept her eyes on their connected hands, grip tightening slightly. She refused to meet Tori's eyes. She knew what she would see there. She shook her head and dropped Tori's hand.

"You're ruining my reputation," she complained. Tori laughed and pulled her into a hug. Jade's arms automatically returned the embrace. With a sigh and a big smile, Tori relaxed in her arms. Jade's hand ran down, pausing at the small of her back.

"Does it still hurt?" she questioned, referring to the rock that jabbed her.

"You noticed that?"

"Of course I did. Your injuries don't go unnoticed just because of my own. Is it bleeding or just bruised?" Jade inquired, her hand falling to venture under her shirt. Tori bit back a yelp and blushed at the cold touch to her warm skin.

"Just bruised," Jade mumbled when she found out for herself, her thumb brushing over it before her hand rested in place. She felt Tori shiver and finally looked at her. Their eyes met and Tori smiled softly, something tender and caring.

"You're such a softie," she teased, laughing when an offended frown tugged at Jade's lips.

"I am not. I'm supposed to protect you."

"But no one said you had to check up on me after."

"Shut up," Jade dismissed, pushing her away. Tori laughed, jogging to catch up with Jade. She was already striding away, intent on avoiding the topic.

"Oh, come on, Jade. Just admit that you care about me more than your job entitles you to," the witch continued to tease. Jade kept walking, her limp slowly lessening as her body healed. Which made her swift departure harder to keep up with. Tori jogged along next to her.

"Look, I think it's sweet. Just because you're a big bad hym and you should loath humans and only see them as food doesn't mean you have to feel that way all the time. We have a special bond and I would just like to know if you're truly happy here with me or just pretend-" Tori babbled, gasping when Jade suddenly grabbed her by the front of her shirt and pushed her against a tree. She growled low, sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight. Tori stared into the hym's agitated face, not at all fazed.

"Yes, okay? I'm content to be where I am and I care about you beyond the effects of some stupid magic bond. Are you happy? Will you shut up now?" Jade growled, inches from her face. Tori only heard as far as the first word out of Jade's mouth, ignoring the rest. Without thinking she leaned in and kissed her familiar on the forehead. Jade pulled away, shocked.

"Why did you do that?"

"Just as a thank you. I really appreciate you," Tori replied, honest. Jade slowly relaxed her hold and stepped away. For the first time, she was uncertain.

"Yeah, sure. Let's just go home," she said, gesturing in the general direction. Tori nodded and took them home without a moment to lose. They found themselves climbing the steps of the old house, quiet. Neither had anything to say. Jade opened the door and Tori went in first, as was their routine. Her family was quick to question her. Jade hung back until questions were fired at her. When the explanations were out of the way and everyone was glad Tori was safe, things calmed down.

Tori was still allowed to venture into town. Jade was always close by but hidden if she was with her friends. She never left her sight. Their dynamic flowed effortlessly. It was almost like they were in sync at all times. Every once in a while, when their gazes crossed for longer than a few seconds, Tori would look away embarrassed and Jade would grunt indifferently. They both played it safe and never breached the taboo topic again, but both already knew where they stood by then. It wasn't awkward and it strengthened their bond, bringing them closer than they had ever been before.


End file.
